Politico
''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
'' as the strategist "White House officials turn to in a crisis to handle communications", Schultz was originally hired at the White House in 2011 to respond to congressional oversight investigations.
Early life and education
Schultz graduated
Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Jamesville-DeWitt High School (JDHS) is a New York state public education facility located in the town of DeWitt, serving high school students (grades 9–12) in the Jamesville-Dewitt Central School District.
Notable alumni
* Buddy Boeheim, pr ...
in 1998 before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...
, where he studied political science and writing. Schultz is the son of Sybil and Jack Schultz, a long time judge in Dewitt, NY. He has two brothers.
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...
in
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
, where Kerry won in both the primary and
general elections
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
. Schultz spent several years on Capitol Hill working for a number of U.S. Senators, including
Chuck Schumer
Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as Senate Majority Leader since January 20, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Schumer is in his fourth Senate term, having held his seat since 1999, an ...
(D-NY).
In 2008, he served as the national press secretary for John Edwards’ Presidential campaign before working as Deputy Campaign Manager for
Al Franken
Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedian, politician, media personality, and author who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He gained fame as a writer and performer on the television comed ...
during the
2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota
The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) candidate, Al Franken, defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman i ...
. According to the ''Washington Post'', Schultz brought “order and discipline” to Franken’s campaign, working closely with the consultant team on television spots, direct mail, and an aggressive press strategy that kept a favored incumbent opponent on defense and sank his approval ratings. During a high-profile recount, Schultz worked directly with the chief counsel to devise messaging that augmented the campaign’s legal strategy.
Before joining the White House, Schultz served as communications director for the
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. It is the only organization solely dedicated to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current Chair is Se ...
in 2010, retaining Senate control for Democrats despite an historic Republican wave. In this role, Schultz became “well-known among Washington reporters for his aggressive, behind-the-scenes approach,” as noted by ''
Politico
''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
''.
After
White House Deputy Press Secretary
The White House Office of the Press Secretary, or the Press Office, is responsible for gathering and disseminating information to three principal groups: the President, the White House staff, and the media. The Office is headed by the White House ...
Jay Carney
James Ferguson 'Jay' Carney (born May 22, 1965) is an American public relations officer, political advisor and journalist who has served as Amazon's Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs from 2015 to 2022, and the United States Whit ...
to become White House Press Secretary in 2014, Schultz was appointed White House Deputy Press Secretary. In this role, Schultz often diffused "tensions with humor. But he
ould Ould is an English surname and an Arabic name ( ar, ولد). In some Arabic dialects, particularly Hassaniya Arabic, ولد (the patronymic, meaning "son of") is transliterated as Ould. Most Mauritanians have patronymic surnames.
Notable p ...
be relentless in pushing his message in both public and private conversations.” Former White House Communications Director
Jen Psaki
Jennifer Rene Psaki (; born c. 1978) is an American television political analyst who currently works for MSNBC. Previously, she was a political advisor who served under both the Obama and Biden administrations. Immediately prior to working for ...
compared Schultz to fictional crisis manager
Olivia Pope
Olivia Carolyn Pope is a fictional character created by Shonda Rhimes for the political drama television series ''Scandal''. This character also played a small role in the series ''How to Get Away with Murder'' on its 4th season produced by Shon ...
, "he's the person you want next to you in a
foxhole
Foxhole may refer to:
* Foxhole, a type of defensive fighting position constructed in a military context
* Foxholes, Hertford, an eastern suburb of Hertford
* Foxholes, North Yorkshire, a village and civil parish in Northern England
* Foxhole, C ...
when there's a crisis." At the end of President Obama's second term, former White House Senior Advisor
Valerie Jarrett
Valerie June Jarrett ( Bowman; born November 14, 1956) is an American businesswoman and former government official. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Obama Foundation. She previously served as the senior advisor to U.S. ...
said of Schultz, “We’ve all grown to rely on his wise counsel" and that the President "trusts his sound judgement."
In January 2017, Schultz founded the Schultz Group, a strategic communications firm where he continues to advise President Obama. Drawing on his experiences in politics, media, and Washington, Schultz has consulted for numerous television and film projects, including TV pilots and major motion picture scripts. Schultz was credited as a consultant on ''
Designated Survivor
In the United States, a designated survivor (or designated successor) is a named individual in the presidential line of succession, chosen to stay at an undisclosed secure location, away from events such as State of the Union addresses and pre ...